3D variable resistance memory device and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A variable resistance memory device includes a plurality of cell gate electrodes extending in a first direction, wherein the plurality of cell gate electrodes are stacked in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A gate insulating layer surrounds each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes and a cell drain region is formed on two sides of the each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes. A channel layer extends in the second direction along the stack of the plurality of cell gate electrodes, and a variable resistance layer contacting the channel layer.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/975,639 filed on Aug. 26, 2013, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§119(a) to Korean application number 10-2013-0046090, filed on Apr. 25,2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The disclosure of eachof the foregoing applications is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND

Currently, resistive memory devices using a resistance material has beensuggested, and the resistive memory devices may include phase-changerandom access memories (PCRAMs), resistance RAMs (ReRAMs), ormagentoresistive RAMs (MRAMs) has been suggested.

The resistive memory devices may include a switching device and aresistance device, and may store data “0” or “1” according to a state ofthe resistance device.

Even in the resistive memory devices, the first priority is to improveintegration density and to integrate memory cells in a narrow area asmany as possible.

Currently, the variable resistance memory device is also configured in a3D structure, but there is a high need for a method of stably stacking aplurality of memory cells with smaller critical dimension (CD).

SUMMARY

An exemplary variable resistance memory device. The variable resistancememory device may include: a semiconductor substrate; a common sourceregion formed on the semiconductor layer; a channel layer formedsubstantially perpendicular to a surface of the semiconductor substrate,the channel layer being selectively connected to the common sourceregion; a plurality of cell gate electrodes formed along a side of thechannel layer; a gate insulating layer formed around each cell gateelectrode, of the plurality of cell gate electrodes, a cell drain regionlocated between the each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cellgate electrodes; a variable resistance layer formed along another sideof the channel layer; and a bit line electrically connected to thechannel layer and the variable resistance layer.

An exemplary method of manufacturing a variable resistance memory deviceinclude: forming a common source line on a semiconductor substrate;forming selection switches on the common source region; forming, overthe selection switches, an insulating structure on the semiconductorsubstrate by alternately stacking a plurality of first interlayerinsulating layers, having a first etch selectivity, and a plurality ofsecond interlayer insulating layers, having a second etch selectivitythat is different than the first etch selectivity; forming through-holesin the insulating structure to expose the string selection switches;forming space portions by removing portions of the plurality of firstinterlayer insulating layers exposed through the through-holes; forminga cell drain region in each of the space portions; forming, in eachthrough-hole, a channel layer along surfaces defining each through-hole;selectively removing the plurality of second insulating layers to form aplurality of openings; forming a gate insulating layer in each openingof the plurality of openings; forming a cell gate electrode in eachopening, of the plurality of openings, so that each cell gate electrodeis surrounded by a gate insulating layer; forming a variable resistancelayer on a surface of the channel layer; forming an insulating layer inthe through-holes; and forming a bit line to be electrically connectedto the channel layer and the variable resistance layer.

An exemplary variable resistance memory device may include: a pluralityof cell gate electrodes extending in a first direction, wherein theplurality of cell gate electrodes are stacked in a second direction thatis substantially perpendicular to the first direction; a gate insulatinglayer surrounding each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gateelectrodes; a cell drain region formed on two sides of the each cellgate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes; a channel layerextending in the second direction along the stack of the plurality ofcell gate electrodes; and a variable resistance layer contacting thechannel layer.

A method of operating an exemplary variable resistance memory device,including a plurality of memory cells having a plurality of cell gateelectrodes extending in a first direction, wherein the plurality of cellgate electrodes are stacked in a second direction that is substantiallyperpendicular to the first direction; a gate insulating layersurrounding each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gateelectrodes; a cell drain region formed on two sides of the each cellgate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes; a channel layerextending in the second direction along the stack of the plurality ofcell gate electrodes; and a variable resistance layer contacting thechannel layer, wherein the variable resistance memory device is incontact with a selection switch, may include: selecting a memory cell,of the plurality of memory cells, via the selection switch; passing acurrent from a bit line through a variable resistor of the selectedmemory cell to perform an operation on the selected memory cell; andpassing the current through a portion of the channel layer associatedwith a non-selected memory cell.

These and other features, aspects, and exemplary implementations aredescribed below in the section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION”.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of thesubject matter of the present disclosure will be more clearly understoodfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary variableresistance memory device;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary variableresistance;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a driving method of an variable resistancememory device;

FIGS. 4 to 10 are cross-sectional views sequentially illustrating anexemplary method of manufacturing a variable resistance memory device;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view illustrating an exemplary switching deviceof a variable resistance memory device; and

FIGS. 12 and 13 are cross-sectional views illustrating exemplaryvariable resistance memory devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary implementations will be described in greaterdetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Exemplary implementations are described herein with reference tocross-sectional illustrations that are schematic illustrations ofexemplary implementations (and intermediate structures). As such,variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, forexample, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to beexpected. Thus, exemplary implementations should not be construed aslimited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but maybe to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, frommanufacturing. In the drawings, lengths and sizes of layers and regionsmay be exaggerated for clarity. Throughout the disclosure, referencenumerals correspond directly to the like numbered parts in the variousfigures and implementations of the present invention. It should bereadily understood that the meaning of “on” and “over” in the presentdisclosure should be interpreted in the broadest manner such that “on”means not only “directly on” but also “on” something with anintermediate feature(s) or a layer(s) therebetween, and that “over”means not only directly on top but also on top of something with anintermediate feature(s) or a layer(s) therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary variable resistance memory device 10includes a plurality of memory cells mc1, mc2, mc3, and mc4, connectedin series.

The plurality of memory cells mc1, mc2, mc3, and mc4, which areconnected in series, may be connected between a bit line BL and a commonsource line CS. That is, the plurality of memory cells mc1, mc2, mc3,and mc4 may be implemented by sequentially stacking the memory cellsmc1, mc2, mc3, and mc4 on a semiconductor substrate (not shown). In theexemplary implementation, a set of the stacked memory cells mc1 to mc4,connected in series, may be referred to as a column string SS1 and SS2.A plurality of column strings SS1 and SS2 may be connected to one bitline BL.

Each of the plurality of memory cells mc1 to mc4 may include a switchingdevice SW1 to SW4 and a variable resistor R1 to R4. The switching deviceSW1 to SW4 and the variable resistor R1 to R4 may be connected inparallel to each other.

A MOS transistor, a diode, a bipolar transistor, or an impact ionizationMOS (IMOS) transistor may be used as the switching devices SW1 to SW4.The variable resistors R1 to R4 may include various materials, such as aPr1-xCaxMnO3 (PCMO) layer, if the variable resistor is a ReRAM, achalcogenide layer, if the variable resistor is a PCRAM, a magneticlayer, if the variable resistor is a MRAM, a magnetization reversaldevice layer, if the variable resistor is a spin-transfer torquemagnetoresistive RAM (STTMRAM), or a polymer layer, if the variableresistor is a polymer RAM (PoRAM).

A column switch array 15 may be connected between the column strings SS1and SS2 and the common source line CS. The column switch array 15 mayinclude a plurality of string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2. Each ofthe string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2 may be connected to acorresponding column strings SS1 or SS2. Each of the string selectionswitches SSW1 or SSW2 selectively connects a corresponding column stringSS1 or SS2 to the common source line CS in response to a correspondingselection signal a1 or a2.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative arrangement of the column switch array15, the column strings SS1 and SS2, and the bit line BL.

Hereinafter, driving the exemplary variable resistance memory devicewill be described. As an example, a process of reading and writing datafrom and to a third memory cell mc3 of a first column string SS1 will bedescribed.

Referring to FIG. 3, a high voltage is applied to a gate a1 of a firststring switch SSW1 to select the first column string SS1.

To write data to the third memory cell mc3, the switching device SW3 ofthe third memory cell mc3 is turned off, and the first switching deviceSW1 of the first memory cell mc1, the second switching device SW2 ofsecond memory cell mc2, and the fourth switching device SW4 of thefourth memory cells mc4, are turned on.

Accordingly, the fourth switching device SW4 in the fourth memory cellmc4, the second switching device SW2 in the second memory cell mc2, andthe first switching device SW1 in the first memory cell mc1, are turnedon to form a current path is formed in the fourth switching device SW4,the second switching device SW2, and the first switching device SW1. Thethird switching device SW3 in the third memory cell mc3 is turned off,and a current path is formed in a third variable resistor R3.

Therefore, a write current Iw, provided from the bit line BL, flows tothe common source line CS through the fourth switching device SW4, thethird variable resistor R3, and the second switching device SW2, andfirst switching device SW1. Therefore, data may be written to the thirdmemory cell mc3.

A read operation of the third memory cell mc3 may be carried out insubstantially the same manner as described above for the writeoperation, except that a read current Ir (instead of a write current Iw)may be provided from the bit line BL. The read current Ir reaches thecommon source line CS connected to a ground through a correspondingcurrent path. The data written in the variable resistor R3 may be sensedby measuring using read circuit (not shown) a current value reaching thecommon source line CS. At this time, the read current Ir has a levelthat does not affect a crystallization state of the variable resistorR3, and may have a lower value than that of the write current Iw.

Hereinafter, a exemplary method of manufacturing an exemplary variableresistance memory device will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to10.

Referring to FIG. 4, a common source region 105 is formed on asemiconductor substrate 100. In FIG. 4, an “X” region indicates aportion of the variable resistance memory device taken in a directionparallel to a bit line to be formed later, and a “Y” region indicates aportion of the variable resistance memory device taken in a directionperpendicular to the bit line. The common source region 105 may beconfigured of, for example, an impurity region or a conductive layer. Aconductivity type of the common source region 105 may be determinedaccording to a conductivity type of the string selection switches SSW1and SSW2. For example, if the string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2are an MOS transistor, then the common source region 105 may be anN-type impurity region or a polysilicon layer doped with an N-typeimpurity.

A conductive layer having a certain thickness may be formed on thecommon source region 105, and then patterned to form a plurality ofpillars 110 that will form channels of the string selection switchesSSW1 and SSW2. The pillars 110 may include semiconductor layers, such aspolysilicon layers. A drain region 115 may be formed into an upperportion of each of the pillars 110 using an impurity having the sameconductivity type as the impurity of the common source region 105.

A gate insulating layer 120 may be formed on the semiconductor substrate100, on which the pillars 110 are formed. A gate 125 may be formed tosurround each of the pillars 110. The gate insulating layer 120 may beformed by oxidizing the semiconductor substrate 100, including thepillars 110, or by depositing an oxide layer on the semiconductorsubstrate 100, including the pillars 110. The gate 125 may be formed toa height (or a thickness) corresponding to the channel formation region(a region between the drain region and the common source region).Therefore, the string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2, having verticalstructures, are completed.

An insulating layer 130 may be formed to cover the semiconductorsubstrate 100, on which the string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2 areformed. The insulating layer 130 may have a thickness sufficient to burythe string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2. The insulating layer 130may be planarized to expose the drain region 115. An ohmic layer 135 maybe formed in the exposed drain region 115 via a conventional process.The ohmic layer 135 may be, for example, a silicide.

Referring to FIG. 5, first interlayer insulating layers 140 a, 140 b,140 c, 140 d, and 140 e and second interlayer insulating layers 145 a,145 b, 145 c, and 145 d are alternately formed on the insulating layer130 to form an insulating structure. For example, first interlayerinsulating layer 140 e may be located in the uppermost layer of theinsulating structure. The first interlayer insulating layers 140 a, 140b, 140 c, 140 d, and 140 e may have an etch selectivity that isdifferent than an etch selectivity of the second interlayer insulatinglayers 145 a, 145 b, 145 c, 145 d, and 145 e.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, a certain portion of the insulating structureis etched to form a through-hole 150 exposing the ohmic layer 135.Certain portions of the first interlayer insulating layers 140 a, 140 b,140 c, 140 d, and 140 e, which are exposed through the through-hole 150,may be are removed by, for example, a wet etch method. Therefore, theetched first interlayer insulating layers 140 a, 140 b, 140 c, 140 d,and 140 e are narrower than the second interlayer insulating layers 145a, 145 b, 145 c, and 145 d.

Drain regions 155 of the switching devices SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4 areformed in spaces from which the first interlayer insulating layers 140a, 140 b, 140 c, 140 d, and 140 e are removed. Therefore, the drainregions of the switching devices are exposed through a sidewall of thethrough-hole 150.

The drain regions 155 may include, for example, a semiconductor layer,such as a silicon (Si) layer, a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer, agallium arsenide (GaAs) layer, or a doped polysilicon layer, or a metallayer, such as tungsten (W), copper (Cu), titanium nitride (TIN),tantalum nitride (TaN), tungsten nitride (WN), molybdenum nitride (MoN),niobium nitride (NbN), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), titaniumaluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium boron nitride (TiBN), zirconiumsilicon nitride (ZrSiN), tungsten silicon nitride (WSiN), tungsten boronnitride (WBN), zirconium aluminum nitride (ZrAlN), molybdenum siliconnitride (MoSiN), molybdenum aluminum nitride (MoAlN), tantalum siliconnitride (TaSiN), tantalum aluminum nitride (TaAlN), titanium (Ti),molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), titanium silicide (TiSi), tantalumsilicide (TaSi), titanium tungsten (TiW), titanium oxynitride (TiON),titanium aluminum oxynitride (TiAlON), tungsten oxynitride (WON), ortantalum oxynitride (TaON).

Referring to FIG. 7, a channel layer 160 is formed along a surfacedefining the through-hole 150. The channel layer 160 may include aconductive semiconductor layer, such as an impurity doped semiconductorlayer. The channel layer 160 may have a conductivity type that isopposite to the conductivity type of the drain regions 155. A firstburied insulating layer 165 is formed in the through-hole 150, over thechannel layer 160. At this time, the first buried insulating layer 165may be provided to prevent the channel layer 160 from being lost whenthe first and second separation holes are formed.

Referring to FIG. 8, a first separation hole H1 for node separation isformed in a space between through-holes 150 to separate adjacent nodes.The first separation hole H1 may be formed in the insulating structurebetween the string selection switches SSW1 and SSW2. The secondinterlayer insulating layers 145 a, 145 b, 145 c, and 145 d, which areexposed through the first separation hole H1, are removed to form secondseparation holes H2. Since the first interlayer insulating layers 140 a,140 b, 140 c, 140 d, and 140 e have an etch selectivity that isdifferent than an etch selectivity of the second interlayer insulatinglayers 145 a, 145 b, 145 c, and 145 d, only the second interlayerinsulating layers 145 a, 145 b, 145 c, and 145 d may be selectivelyremoved. Therefore, the first separation holes H1 are substantiallyperpendicular to a surface of the semiconductor substrate 100, and thesecond separation holes H2 are substantially parallel to the surface ofthe semiconductor substrate 100.

Referring to FIG. 9, a gate insulating layer 170 is formed on a surfacedefining each of the second separation holes H2. A gate electrode 175 isformed within each of the second separation holes H2. The gateinsulating layer 170 may include, for example, silicon oxide or siliconnitride, or an oxide or a nitride of a metal, such as Ta, Ti, bariumtitanate (BaTi), barium zirconium (BaZr), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf),lanthanum (La), aluminum (Al), or zirconium silicide (ZrSi). The gateelectrode 175 may include a semiconductor layer, such as, for example, aSi layer, a SiGe layer, or an impurity doped GaAs layer, or ametal-containing layer, such as, for example, W, Cu, TiN, TaN, WN, MoN,NbN, TiSiN, TiAlN, TiBN, ZrSiN, WSiN, WBN, ZrAlN, MoSiN, MoAlN, TaSiN,TaAlN, Ti, Mo, Ta, Tisi, TaSi, TiW, TiON, TiAlON, WON, or TaON. Next, asecond buried insulating layer 178 may be formed the first separationhole H1. The second buried insulating layer 178 may include a layerhaving an etch selectivity that is different than an etch selectivity ofthe first buried insulating layer 165.

Referring to FIG. 10, the first buried insulating layer 165 buried inthe through-hole 150 may be selectively removed to expose the channellayer 160. A variable resistance layer 180 is deposited on an exposedsurface of the channel layer 180. The variable resistance layer 180 mayinclude various materials, such as a Pr1-xCaxMnO3 (PCMO) layer, if thevariable resistor is a ReRAM, a chalcogenide layer, if the variableresistor is a PCRAM, a magnetic layer, if the variable resistor is aMRAM, a magnetization reversal device layer, if the variable resistor isa spin-transfer torque magnetoresistive RAM (STTMRAM), or a polymerlayer, if the variable resistor is a polymer RAM (PoRAM). At this time,current characteristic of the device may be controlled according tocontrol of a thickness of the variable resistance layer 180.

A third buried insulating layer 185 may be formed within thethrough-hole 150, over the variable resistance layer 180. Next, a bitline 190 is formed to be in contact with the channel layer 160 and thevariable resistance layer 180 and therefore, the variable resistancememory device having a stacked structure is completed.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, in the resistance memory cell, the drainregions 155 are located adjacent to the gate electrodes 175, and thechannel layer 160 and the variable resistance layer 180 are locatedadjacent to the drain regions. Therefore, when current is provided fromthe bit line 190, current selectively flows along the channel layer 160or the variable resistance layer 180 according to an on/off condition ofthe switching devices SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4.

Thus, effective channel lengths (see EC1 of FIG. 11) of the switchingdevices SW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4 in the exemplary implementation may besubstantially increased as compared with an effective channel length(see EC2 of FIG. 11) of a conventional 3D switching device. Therefore,switching characteristics of the switching devices SW1, SW2, SW3, andSW4 may be improved without increasing a size of the switching devicesSW1, SW2, SW3, and SW4.

FIG. 12 shown an alternative exemplary implementation that lacks thefirst separation holes H1 (as shown in FIG. 8). In this exemplaryimplementation, the same voltage may be provided to gate electrodes 175located in the same layer. This structure may be formed by selectivelyremoving second interlayer insulating layers 145 a, 145 b, 145 c, and145 d without the forming of the first separation hole H1.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, a channel layer 160 a may be formed on only aportion of a sidewall that defines a through-hole (see 150 of FIG. 6)that faces each of the gate electrodes 175. That is, since drain regions155 are located below and on gate electrodes 175, the channel layer 160a may not affect the operation of the device even when the channel layer160 a is located in a overlapping region of the gate electrode 175 andthe through-hole.

The above exemplary implementations are illustrative and not limitative.Various alternatives and equivalents are possible. The invention is notlimited by the exemplary implementations described herein. Nor is theinvention limited to any specific type of semiconductor device. Otheradditions, subtractions, or modifications are obvious in view of thepresent disclosure and are intended to fall within the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a variable resistancememory device, including a plurality of memory cells having a pluralityof cell gate electrodes extending in a first direction, wherein theplurality of cell gate electrodes are stacked in a second direction thatis substantially perpendicular to the first direction; a gate insulatinglayer surrounding each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gateelectrodes; a cell drain region formed on two sides of the each cellgate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes; a channel layerextending in the second direction along the stack of the plurality ofcell gate electrodes; and a variable resistance layer contacting thechannel layer, wherein the variable resistance memory device is incontact with a selection switch, the method comprising: selecting amemory cell, of the plurality of memory cells, via the selection switch;passing a current from a bit line through a variable resistor of theselected memory cell to perform an operation on the selected memorycell; and passing the current through a portion of the channel layerassociated with a non-selected memory cell.
 2. The variable resistancememory device of claim 1, wherein when an effective channel of the cellswitch transistor includes a first overlapping portion between each ofthe cell gate electrodes and a corresponding channel layer, and a secondoverlapping portion between each of the cell gate electrodes and thecell drain regions.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel layersextend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the firstdirection.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation is a readoperation or a write operation.
 5. The method of claim 4, furthercomprising: sensing data written during a write operation by measuring acurrent value reaching a common source line associated with the bitline.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein a current to perform a readoperation has a level that does not affect a crystallization state ofthe variable resistor.